posted: July 18, 2008

The Los Angeles based fashion label Tookata People have just launched their first website showcasing their first 3 seasons collections. The company was started 18 months ago and they have exclusively been using my artwork on their products. I’ve been working with them from the beginning and it’s been a great insight into the whole process of running a label, from the design and sampling through to production and sales.
Almost all of the products are printed on leather, a process which required a lot of trial and error
in the beginning as there was virtually no-one doing this when they started out. The results from printing on suede are pretty incredible as the inks sink deep into the material and give it a hand painted feel. The colours are rich, deep, and vibrant. The buffalo leather is heavier, more rigid and has a darker tone with a slight sheen. Artwork printed onto the buffalo takes on a more antique feel picking up the sepia and brown tones of the leather. And as all leather is a natural material each hide has it’s own individual characteristics - colour variations and marks in the form of healed scars, blemishes, scratches, growth marks, differing fibre densities, and hair pore structures. This all adds to making each product a little more interesting and individual.
Having the artwork made into products that people are prepared to shell out for and
wear is a  buzz and the whole process gives the artwork a new sense of purpose. And when printed on leather IT SMELLS DAMN GOOD! Some images of the bags are below along with some of the original artwork.